Machine for making wafer biscuits and the like



J. H. BATES March 31, 1931.

MACHINE FOR MAKING WAFER BTSCUITSAND THE LIKFI Filed Nov. 15, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l J. H. BATES March 31, 1931.

MACHINE FOR MAKING WAFER BISCUITSAND THE LIKE Filed NOV. 13, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7. H-BaZQ-S Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT'OFFICE :rosnrn HENRY teams, or LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND MACHINE FOR MAKING XVAFER BISCUITS AND THE LIKE Application filed November 13, 1929, Serial ll'o. 406,916, and in Great Britain November 21, 1928.

This invention has reference to machinery for making wafer biscuits and similar articles from batter; and it relates more particularly to that type in which a plurality of sets of plates are employed, which pass through a gas or other heated oven or chamber, with the The present invention has reference more.

particularly to the heating of this type of apparatus or machine, and the plates as they move through or along it; and it has more 2 particularly for its object to provide improvements in connection with such machines by which the temperature of the heating oven and plates is rendered uniform, and kept constant, and to do this automatically.

r In machines of the character concerned, it is common practice to employ gaseous fuel as the heating medium, and commonly burners are used below the upper and lower runs of the plates, the burners being of the Bunsen or atmospheric type; and according to this invention the amount of gas or heating fluid supplied to the burners is regulated or varied automatically by means of a thermostat, which operates a regulating device connected with the supply of the heating medium.

' i r'ccording to one method and arrangement of parts, the heat of the plates themselves .is used to effect the operation of the thermostat, so that the quantity of gas or heating 40 medium supplied to the burners is such that it will heat and maintain a practically constant temperature in the plates, and the heat of the plates is transmitted, say to mercury orliquid which expands and contracts according to the varying temperature of the part with which it is in contact or by which it is heated; and in some cases this expansion and contraction is transmitted to a pressure or gravity or other known suitable kind of gauge or indicator,

59 which when the plates are of the right temperature, will indicate same by a movable indicating means on the indicator; and the in dicator may also have a master pointer 0r indicator to show the degree of temperature which it is desired the plate should have.

Further, this movablev gauge or indicator is adapted to operate in connection with electric circuits in which are electromagnetic devices such as solenoids, which actuate a regulating device in the conduits through which heating gas or medium is conducted to the burners; and these parts are so arranged that when the temperature falls below that required, the'circuit will be closed, and the gas or heating medium controlling supply device such as a valve or needle, will be moved, and the variation of supply effected.

With this method of controlling the supply of gasor heating medium, a practically constant temperature within required limits can be maintained in the plates. I

The heat of the plates is preferably transmitted to the thermostat 'indirectly;as for instance there may be used on or in connection with the plates, strips or bars standing outside the plates, to which the heat thereof is conducted; and these bars or contact strips, operate on or in connection with stationary slippers which form the base or bulb of the thermostat which may be of the mercury or other suitable type, the slippers being heated by contact with the strips or bars as the bars slide over them.

It will only be necessary to use one pair of these slipper devices, and thermostats in connection with the machine; and they may be suitably disposed at the lower part of the plates, and in the oven or the machine. 7

In one arrangement, where different burn ers are used for heating the upper and lower runs of the plates, the fuel supply regulating valves or devices may be operated directly'by a'solenoid supported above them, and working in connection with a suitable seat portion of the supply pipes, which lead the fuel from the fuel mains to the different 7 burners above and below. i I

The inlet or mixing tube of the atmosphere burners may haveits inlet end on one cooking portion of lot and therefore the degree of cookingvofthebiscuits or articles isiconstant, giving a. constant colour and character of biscuits or article, which is. much: desired;

Furthermore, having the right temperature for cooking, and the; constant: result-5 or effect, the operators or". the machine are enabled to; work muchbett'en generally, and without trouble,- and causes for-stopping or cleaning the plates,- and the like; and itpromotes also the automatic'ity of; thjemachine,

and it enables the automatic" supply and" removal of the biscuits or articles to be accomplished! The invention is illustrated intheannexed drawings, in which-Figural is a side elevation, and Figure 2--i s; an end v-iew Themachineas shown in-the drawings, to

which the invention is --a-pplied=', is oi the kindabovereferredto, ofwhich-lie the general frameof the machine, and 2 are-the cooking plates of'the ope ing and closing kind,-

supported on wheels 3 which run on suitable rails inside theirames l, and the-ad acent ends. of the successive; plates are connected together-by coupling; links l which are-sc cured to the axles -5 of the wheels The burners propen are marked 6 and are placed in the usual positions iIlgl'Ql-tltiOI-l to the plates, both above andfbelow, so thatth e plates are heated on bothsides.--

7f are the mixing tubesforth e air-ancbgascour; fuel,- and 8" are the supply valx' 'es, which are controlled --electrica-lly byth'esol-L noid; or electromagnetic device 10-;-thegas being" supplied by a pipe 111 The from the valve S 'is supplied by a pipe 19, to the air and;-

mixine'j device 13 0t the-burners, which is of any known suitable kind, having a tapered regulating nozzle (levice l+l-o er ated by a knob 15.

As will be seen in Figure 1, one-set of burn are is supplied tothe-upper part ofthe ma" chine, and4theotherto-the-lower side.-

VVith rega-rd to the thermostats, these are marked 16, and consist of a rectangular or fiat sided vessel orjbnlb filled with mercury or other-suitable fluid g'and connected to iii-Zed brackets 17'-byh-inged links l8, the v, lower link- 18 being pulled-upwards by a spring so as toholdurp the thermostat fluid container or bulb 16; and in operation these; mercury or liquid containers or bulbs act as slippers iii connection-with bars 19 fixed on one side of the upper and lower-platesofeach set, the

ends'ofi-tliebars projecting or overlapping the ends of 'th'e plates, so-that when-the plates are in the horizontal position, and travelling along, there is only a small gap bet-ween the adjacent ends of the bars; and therefore in acti on, there is practically a continuity of contact between the thermostat vessels '16, and the plates and bars, which will havethe same temperature.

Aer-shown, a thermostatic device is used in connection with both the upper and lower platesofasetgand thebulbs or vessels 16 are connected by tubes 20with the indicating and electrical circuit. closing. and opening devices 21. i

This; device 211 comprises-- an indicator or finger 23 which is adapted to be operated i. e; moved over adial: 26-by. the rise and fall' of the liquid in the tubesQO, asthe teme peraturei'n. the plates and theirbars rises and falls, the connection. between, the li quid.

a-ndisthe finger being by a-.weight.acted1on by the thermostat fluid, and a cordor the like connected with the axle of: the finger: indicator, inthe well-known way ot'v indicatorsiof such aikind', worked by therise and fall. of. thermometric: liquid. Thus,- as the temperature rises. and; falls, and the; liquid rises and. falls in the tube 20,-1'Cl16 pointers on indicators 23 are IBVQlVQClEZthOUtstllfiiI; axes,

1111 the indlcator apparatus, another pointer 01' indicator 24 is. used; which is i mounted on a. separate axis, about wh ch" 1t isadaptedctobe adjustedrandsetorr fixed by hand and: to. each of! these. pointers is con? neetedr an wire: 25,. which; extendsbetween: themiand the electromagnetic devices 110, and

the two pointers; serve as: part: Of thEVGlQCtPlC- circuit. and a. contactory means ,w-ithiniti In action, when. the temperaturerisesso that a part ofr or; a/deviceon the moving;

pointer: or; finger) 23, comes; in contact; with the; pointer-24 or a; contact p a-rt connected; therewith, the. circuitr Of, the electromagnets: 10wi'll be closed; andithe-magnets beingso. arranged: that when 2 energized: the valves 8. will he moved so was. toclose oa -nearly close the sea t. in the. pipe, between the pipe -1-1 I amil the air and gas. mixing device 115, andz'therehyi the supplyds. diminished.- The. v a lvesf-8-- are alwayskeptzslightly open, so that the burners- 6 are permanentlykept: alight; 7

When the temperature of the platesQ-and barsl9. falls,. thelicprid in tllQnCZtSGS or bu-lbs. 16 and itu-bes 20 contracts, and the pointer 01'; fingen 28; iS=D1OVi6Cl1-OHl3ZOf contact, with the pointer. or indicator: 24:, and the: circuitofitho electromagnetslt) is opened; and so again-the valves 8- are. raised; and the supplyof; increased;

Thus, automatically; the tempel 'aturei of the; plates .is maintained sufficiently constant between. a desirable. maximum andminimum, and thereby the degree OfiCOOkZlHQfO-f the hiss cuits or articles is: completely, controlled; This degreeds determined? and controllediby the position. to; which. the adjustable finger 24 is set on the divided temperature dial 26.

hat is claimed is 1. Machinery for making wafer biscuits and similar articles from batter, comprising travelling plates heated by gaseous fuel, a thermostatic device adapted to be heated by the hot travelling plates, gaseous fuel heating burners, and a fuel supply regulating valve connected with same operated by the thermostatic device, whereby the tempera ture of the plates is maintained substantially uniform or to the degree required.

2. Machinery for making wafer biscuits and similar articles from batter, comprising travelling plates heated by gaseous fuel, a thermostatic device adapted to be heated by the hot travelling plates, gaseous fuel heating burners, and a fuel supply regulating valve, an electric contactor device operated by the thermostat, an electromagnetic device connected with and adapted to operate the fuel supply valve, and an electric circuit in which which said electromagnetic device is placed, and opened and closed by the electric contactor device; whereby the temperature ofthe plates is maintained substantially uniform or to the degree required.

3. Machinery for making wafer biscuits and similar articles from batter, comprising travelling plates heated by gaseous fuel, a thermostatic device adapted to be heated by the hot travelling plates, gaseous fuel heating burners, a fuel supply regulating valve, an electric contactor device operated by the thermostat and adapted to serve as a temperature indicator and contactor adjusting means, and an electromagnetic device connected with and adapted to operate the fuel supply valve, and an electric circuit in which said electromagnetic device is placed, and opened and closed by the electrocontactor device.

Machinery for making wafer biscuits and similar articles from batter, comprising a plurality of interconnected plates adapted to travel through the machine in a continuous manner from end to end, a stationary heat receiving member in contact with which the plates move in their travel round the machine, a thermostatic device connected with a same, and to which the heat of the receiving travelling plates heated by gaseous fuel, and provided with metal contact strips extending longitudinally on same and projecting beyond the ends of same, a thermostatic device adapted to be heated by contact with the strips on the travelling plates, gaseous fuel heating burners, a fuel supply regulating valve connected with same operated by the thermostatic device, an electric contactor 7 

